The year 2019 has brought with itself a new era of UFC broadcasting. The world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation – UFC, The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-To-Consumer & International Segment and ESPN had entered into a multi year agreement which kicked off as the clock struck midnight on 31st December. And what a better way to start things than to start them with the frontrunner of mma reporters – Ariel Helwani.
Helwani along with his producer Eric Jackman hosted a special three hour live version of Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show which ended with him welcoming the new year. Helwani shared his happiness on Twitter and exclaimed that it was a moment he will always remember.
Amazingly, @newyorkric and I somehow convinced very important people to let us schmoes be the ones to usher in the UFC era on ESPN. Remember this moment for a future cocktail party trivia session. Impossible is nothing, my friends. pic.twitter.com/9MKxKmYUu6
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 2, 2019
The show included 2018 year end awards along with guests such as current UFC bantamweight champion T. J. Dillashaw and current UFC flyweight champion Henry Venison.
The show was followed by UFC Main Event : Khabib vs. McGregor, a one hour recap and analysis of the Lightweight Championship bout at UFC 229, and four half-hour “UFC Top 10” shows documenting the top Monumental Moments, Slugfests, Title Fights and One-Round Wars in UFC history. All the six hours of entertainment was televised on ESPN2, with the Main Event and Top 10 shows available afterward on-demand on ESPN+.
Read more:
UFC: Dana White feels the UFC’s ESPN deal will help fighters promote themselves
